July 25, 2024
Like the first half of our Extreme Performance Summer testing, this is a part of the year we all look forward to - the opportunity to take these tires out and truly see how they perform in the environment they were bred for. The energy of a track day is just different - and the weather was perfect for it, not too hot, but sunny, with a summer breeze unbroken by the land or any notable human structures. Just the team, the car and the asphalt, waiting for the throttle to open up.
As "part 2" of the Extreme Performance test report, there's no road ride or wet track testing here (see part 1 for that) - this is the pure track experience. How does each tire feel when it's taken for a high-speed, hard-driving, hard-cornering ride at the absolute limit? Naturally, we will include lap times for each tire, with their time off the lead tire listed in parentheses, in addition to our own experiences driving them, so you can decide which characteristics matter most alongside their raw ability.
Let's get into it!
On the subject of raw ability, the Potenza RE-71RS was not only one of the fastest tires around the track, it was also one of the most pleasant to drive - it had traction everywhere our drivers needed it, braking, turning, it was just easy to place the car exactly when and where they wanted it to be. A great boon to that was the ability to combine inputs, finessing the last little bit of braking with the beginning of a turn, and it just cooperated every bit of the way. It had nice, hefty steering that, joined with its neutral balance, made it an easy tire to drive all the way up to the limit. Over the limit, it could be a little slow to correct mistakes, but there's a generous ceiling to get there.
Average Dry Lap: 1:39.70 (-0.2)
The Azenis RT660 was an interesting tire, requiring a bit of a learning curve to maximize. It had a slight lack in absolute lateral traction, but offered a great driving experience if used properly. The first lesson required engaging the rear axle more than relying on the front. Once it was handled like it preferred to be, it mostly had the traction to finesse, offering a balanced and enjoyable drive despite initially feeling less than reassuring. Given a little earlier throttle application at corner exits, it would enable smooth rear rotation, and it would point and go.
Total Lap Time: 1:39.85 (-0.3)
If there was one word that came up repeatedly during the discussion of Kumho's Extreme Performance Summer entry, it was "consistent" - an experience that could be counted on from lap-to-lap, with firm, direct steering that took advantage of its strong front axle traction. Unfortunately, its overall grip was just a step down from some of its rivals. It didn't feel quite as planted at the rear, which just resulted in wasted motion instead of making for usable rotation. Likewise, it felt unsteady under braking, and during mid to high-speed turns, with the axles feeling out of sync. It was still very quick, very drivable, and again, consistent, but not as absolute confidence-inspiring as some of the other options.
Total Lap Time: 1:40.37 (-0.8)
The Max Performance Summer competitor made its appearance here too, representing what is almost inarguably one of the most popular tires in its category. For the most part, it did a commendable job in that respect. In a pure straight line, it was extremely close to, if not matched with the Extreme Performance Summer tires, but this wasn't a drag race and its lateral traction couldn't quite keep up. The strong, straight-line grip meant relying on braking to maintain speed through turns instead of taking them with full confidence, especially with the lighter, looser steering promising more, writing checks that the lateral grip couldn't cash. It wanted to step out in the rear end, it didn't feel quite as "underneath" the driver as we would like. It required a different approach than the other tires because it ultimately wasn't quite on the same level and it shows in the time.
Total Lap Time: 1:42.37 (-2.8)
There are many things that can be said about the Sportnex CR-S. It had huge traction everywhere: braking, lateral, straight-line, it was undeniable. It had powerful front end authority. The steering was responsive, it was balanced, directing the vehicle with ease, it could do all of the things an Extreme Performance Summer tire can and should do with aplomb. It was the fastest around the track, and yet, it wasn't anyone's favorite to drive, because it just doesn't communicate. Not 100% of the time, but in the corners or in the moments where it mattered most, the Sportnex CR-S would feel numb, disconnected, like driving a simulator, and while it could obviously still function just fine, not having consistent tactile feedback made for a real challenge.
Total Lap Time: 1:39.54
The ADVAN A052 made a wonderful first impression - it offered excellent communication and solid braking. The steering was responsive and obedient, with pointy handling and the ability to put power down confidently. Once the tire heated up, it lost some precision and grip, feeling more on the vague, smeary side of things, particularly through longer sweepers and the S-turns. While it lost some confidence, it was still a decent runner that could turn a strong lap - even with its general step back in ability - but it was hard to put that first lap out of our minds.
Total Lap Time: 1:39.92 (-0.4)
The first and loudest feedback coming off the track was that this was just a pleasant tire to drive. The ADVAN NEOVA AD09 was consistent, with an authoritative front-end that could give a comely little twitch of the hips at corner exit and ride the slip angle into the next motion. It was elegant, with a neutral-to-oversteer bias that came on gradually, bright and communicative during the whole experience. It wasn't the fastest, but absolutely in the competitive realm.
Total Lap Time: 1:40.48 (-0.9)
Almost every one of these tires has something compelling to offer, either through individual driving style, experience, event - or simply the type of driver you are. Tire shopping can certainly be confusing at any level of performance, but finding the right fit ahead of time can save a lot of time and energy on the track that can be better channeled into enjoying yourself, or putting your rivals behind you.
Bridgestone's Potenza RE-71RS is a tire that's almost difficult to talk about because it's just plain great - it tucks into corners and holds on, it has strong, controllable braking, it just has all this ability and grip to spare, giving experienced drivers room to overlap inputs and really make the most of it. Just a stellar tire that combines speed with ability and a connection to the track. Falken's Azenis RT660 is a tire with a learning curve, and it took some understanding to maximize it. It definitely favored driving more with the rear of the car, and then trusting that it had the grip to handle it, which it has. It's very competitive as an option, but the adjustment period might be too steep for some. The Yokohama ADVAN NEOVA AD09 is a tire that deserves its place here, but more for the experience than any one trait. It isn't the fastest tire, it doesn't have the most grip or the hardest braking, but it might be one of the nicest to drive because it puts everything together it does have well while communicating with the driver every step of the way. Nankang's Sportnex CR-S is definitely just as deserving, but for the exact inverse reason - it's a collection of fantastic traits that, by all rights, should make it a no-brainer fitment for any performance-minded driver - and yet it's a strange tire to drive. The driving experience is mostly disconnected, more like a driving simulator than the physical action, which can make it a difficult tire to maximize. It can be done, clearly, it was the fastest tire we drove, and it has ability in spades. A vehicle tuned around this tire with a driver used to its particular behavior might find a real winner here, but it doesn't come on naturally.
Yokohama's other tire in this test, the ADVAN A052, is certainly a capable tire. It's nearly as quick around the track as some of the best here, and it is consistent - once the first lap is done and it has some heat on it. Unfortunately, that first lap is also its best, and the feeling of chasing its initial performance can tempt some behavior that it might not deliver on the next time around. It's still very good, but at a level that's still just a hair off from some of the best. The Kumho Ecsta V730 is a tire that suffers from a similar, if not quite identical problem. It's not bad to drive, it is a reliable partner, and it can deliver on performance, but isn't quite as composed and can't do any one thing quite as well as the other tires here. On its own, it'd be fine, but in close competition, that's not quite enough. Finally, the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S is also here. It's a category best, certainly, but this is not that category. It doesn't have the grip, the composure or the dry track ability to compete. Nearly 3 seconds off from the top is a lifetime in a race, or even tracking for personal best times, and while it isn't a bad tire by most measures, it serves as an excellent example for just how significant category-to-category performance can be.
Thanks for reading! Testing season is nowhere near finished, so keep an eye out for even more in-depth coverage on a variety of tires for all kinds of vehicles. If you'd like to read more about tires for the cars you're not driving on the track, consider reading our previous Touring Tire Test!
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